Apparatus for maintaining the temperature of a fermenting liquid



Nov. 28, 1933. R. HoRcH 1,937,226

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF A FERMENTING LIQUID Filed Feb. ll, 1931 nga l l l PatentedNov. 28,1933

UNrrEo STATES;

,PATENT OFHCE' 'APPARATUS' EORMA'INTAINING 'rnE"v TEMPERATURE E A vEErmvrEnirINGf LIQUID Rudolf Horch, Radeberg in Saxony, Germany Application February 11, 1931, serial No. 515,099; Y and in Germany February 20, 1930 5 Claims.A y(CL ZEW- 203) It is known that in fermentation processes particularly in breweries, but also in distilleries, yeast factories and the likecessations of fermentation often occur which lead to considerable interrup- 5 tions in production and to material losses. A

Cases occur in which the fermentation, both the main fermentation and the after fermentation, ceases too soon and cannot inany way be set in action again, in spite of the liquid to be fer-,l

vatS, or cooling coils or the like wound round the I outside of the fermentation vessels and embedded in their walls, which are served only by a refrigerant at a very low temperature so that there is a relatively great temperature drop between the vliquid to be fermented and therefrigerant, effect a quenching of the fermentation and have an undesirable eiTect on the fermentation exciter.

It is in itself conceivable to effect the cooling solely by theroom or cellar air kept correspondingly cool, and to carry off the heat solely through the walls of the fermentation vessel into such air. This air cooling process through the walls of the vat, whichwould be of advantage as regards the `quality of theJ fermented beverage or. .the like owing to the uniformity and continuity of lthe Y tempering process, could not be carried into. practice hitherto because any single fermenting or storing room always contains lled fermentation being of metal to facilitate the now of heat. For4 this purpose eachfermentation vessel, or a group thereof, is Aprovided with a casing which forms.

between itself and the walls ofthe vessel a space isolated from the general room atmosphere, thus providing a species of sub-chamber for each vessel or group of vessels, .a gaseous medium, advantageou'sly air, being led as the tempering medium through this sub-chamber, while the apparatus for tempering Vthe lmedium filling the sub-chamber can be outside the latter; in this case the medium is sucked or pressed through the temperingapparatus, so that in most cases compression or suction deviceswill be needed to set e5 'K in motion the tempering medium acting on the walls ofthe vessel, The apparatus for tempering or cooling the medium can however be arranged in the sub-chamber itself, preferably without being in contact with the vessel walls.-l c k By this arrangement the fermentation or storage each container orthe like or-each group can ,be individually carried out, the tempering taking place by the much desired atmospheric cooling. L

Further the encasing of the vessels withr an air jacket or the like conduces considerably to their lasting qualities; as is well known metal fermen-` tation and storage vessels, in particular. of alumnium, are comingV more and more into use. If

the useof these metal vessels brings a further advantage to. the above described process, for naturally metal vessels are particularly adapted for tempering through ,theirl Wa1ls, it must also be renolemlc')eredv that the above mentioned fermenta- 85 tion difficulties can be ascribed-not only ,tothe faults of the tempering methods used hitherto, but are also Vdue in'lm'anyV cases rto electrical phenomena.,

`Such electricalor electrolytic phenomena occur-,inthe fermenting` or stored liquids particularly when the electrolyte containingfermenting liquid comes into contact Yduring the fermenting process with two metals, as is the case for example `in theusual aluminium vessels 95 which areY provided with` .copper cooling coils; but the connection of the metal fermenting and storing vvessels with the earth lgives rise to earth leakages so that an effect is set up due to the potential difference between thev containerv and earth. Even `if the electrical or electrolytic phenomena during the fermentation are small it must always be remembered thatcertain quan'- tities of metal gor into solution and that theA acidity ofthe liquid varies sometimes Zonally', 105 both .results acting in an Aundesirable manner.

According to the invention, with fermentation I or Vstorage in metal vessels ,thev occurrence of electrical potential differences is preventedv by the liquid in the ,vessels lnot 4cominginto contact 11D with more than a single metal, passage of current between the liquid and earth being preferably prevented by electrical insulation of them vessels.

1n addition to the advantage that' the fermentation takes place without undesirable effects, the electrical insulation of the containers in accordance with the invention also has the advantage that electrolytic damage to the metallic, in particular aluminium, fermenting and storage vessels, hithereto almost unavoidable, is so retarded or hindered that it can be practically ignored. Preferably to avoid the formation of conducting bridges, insulators are used which make the formation of conductive films of moisture practically impossible; plateor bell shaped elements in which portions of large cross-section succeed portions of small cross-section, based upon the experience gained with high tension insulation, may be used.

In the simplest case strips or blocks ofA insulating material, for example, glassv ceramic material, hard rubber or the like, placed between the vessel and earth, provide a solution to the problem, Vthe insulation preferably being built into the supports or feet of the vessel;

vThe accompanying drawings show by'way of example embodiments of apparatus suitable for carrying out the invention. 30

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on the line 1 1 of Figure 2 and'Figure 2 a cross-section on the line II-IIVofFigr-.re 1.

Figure 3 shows a'fermenting vat with a cooling apparatus for the tempering medium located outside the sub-chamber, the medium being forced through the sub-chamber.

Figure 4 shows a fermenting vat in longitudinal section, in which the apparatus for cooling the tempering medium is located inside the subchamber, and devices provided to prevent earth connection of the metal vat.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show on an enlarged scale, insulating supports such as rare used inthe apparatus of `Figurei. y I p Figures l and 2 show'a fermenting vat provided with a sub-chamber according to the in` Yexternally. covered in the usual way with breeze blocks 3, that is porous blocks made from concrete with a coarse aggregate of coke or cinders. The vat 1 rests only with its upper marginal edges on the casing 11 and leaves a free jacket space 13 between itself and the casing To supvport'the walls and bottom of the vat, supporting ibs 14 of troughing or the like are providedv in the space 13. These supportingvmembers Vwhich could naturally be of masonryir1stead,rare advantageously arranged labyrinth fashion, as can be seen in Figure 2, so that the owing tempering medium is compelled toV sweep the whole surface of the vat walls and bottom.

`The cooling medium, in the simplest case air, enters by the inlet pipe 5, traverses the jacket space 13, reaches the exhauster 9 through the outflow pipe 7 and passes through the pipe 11 into the open air or back to the cooling chamber 4. f

Thel tempering of the air takes place in the chamber 4 which is connected with the open air regulated.

inside the chamber 4 is a known device for cooling air, for example a cooling coil 10 traversed by cold brine or the like.

A cooling chamber 4 and exhauster 9 can serve for common use of a whole series of vessels, in which case the tempering of the individual vessels or vats can be controlled by regulation of the air flowing through the separate chambers 13 by means of suitable regulating members in the inflow or outflow tubes 6, 7.

1n Figure 3 the vat 1 is surrounded by a casinar which is constructed for example of hollow breeze blocksl in such a manner that the hollow spaces 15 forni a communicating system surrounding the whole of the walls and bottom ofthe vat. This jacket itself is preferably enclosed in 'a cast concrete layer 2 and a breeze cover 3. The chamber 16 is supplied with cooled medium by a pump 17 through the pipe 19. The inlet pipe 19 advantageously passes through a device 21 in which the medium is brought to the required temperature.

In Figure 4 the vat 1 is again surrounded by a casing 2, for example of compressed concrete,

vcovered outside in the usual way with breeze blocks 3. The vat l rests with its upper edges only on members 22 of electrical insulating Inaterial 22 for example'plates ofrubber or synthetic resin, embedded in the casing 2, and leaves a free jacket space 13 between itself and the casing. To support the bottom of the vat, insulating supports 18 are provided; similar supports can be used to support the side walls of the vat.` The coil 10 is carried in the jacket space 13, a medium, for example cooled brine or the like being supplied through inlet and outlet pipes 20, 21 respectively. riihe coil `if: is supported atl three places by carriers 83, which are advantageously let'into the casing 2. v l

The cooling coil 1Q does notmake direct contact with the vat walls, but simply coolsthe gaseous medium filling the jacket space, inthe present case air, which in its turn uniformly tempers the vat walls.

The vat 1 is completely insulated electrically bythe insulating supports and the members 22 and has no conductive connection with the earth.

An outlet from the jacket space is provided at 34 in order to lead off any water condensed inthe jacket. The'jacket 1.o, itself can be made completely airtight with respect vto its surroundings.

The arrangement of the cooling coil 10 can b e carried out in the jacket spacein any desired manner, for example it can run lengthwise below the bottom of the vat'.

It should also be pointed out that `the fermentation vats can be constructed from the start with hollow walls and bottoms.

The invention is not restricted to open vessels, but also extendsto closed fermenting and storage tanks.

It should particularly be mentioned that with the use of fermenting and storage Vessels in accordance with the invention, the cooling'of the main fermenting or storing room or cellar as a whole no longer needs to be carried out with exactitude, but the tempering can be chiefly restricta bell 24 of stone Ware, porcelain or the like.

ed to the filled vessels, which leads to considerable economies.

Figure 5 shows a round insulating support which can be used with advantage for supporting strong walled vessels with lfree supporting bottoms. The bottom 1 of theV vessel rests on a strong block 23 of rubber, hard rubber, or the like which is mounted centrally in the summit of In the centre of the lower surface of this bell is a bearing bush of oxydation resisting material in which is borne the end 25 of a strong screwspindle 27. At about its centre the spindle 27 has a collar 26 with radial holes so thatthe spindle can be turned by the aid of a tommy bar. The screwed portion of the spindle 27 meshes in a tapped bush 28 which is non-rotatably mounted in a cylindrical foot 29 of insulating material. The object of the screw and tapped bush between the insulating bodies 24 and 29 is to enable adjustments to be made to allow for unevennesses in the iioor below the container and thus relieve the bottom of the vessel from strains.

In a simpler andcheaper form the foot 29 can'v be as usual of metal, in which is then mounted a tapped bush 23 of insulating material. In this case again, the screwed spindle 27 with the band 26 meshes inthe bush 28. The bell 24 is omitted and the end 25 of the spindle is guided by a shoulder or inverted footstep bearing secured to the bottom of the vessel.

Figures 6 and 7 show an insulating rail as is advantageous for supporting a weak bottomed iiat or cylindrical ferinenting vessel, the respective views being sections on the lines VI-VI and vri-vn. y

The bottom 1 of the vessel lies on a prismatic rubber block 23 of suitable length, restingon the summit line of a swallow-tail sectioned bar 30 of insulating material. Between this bar and the i floor bar 32 also of insulating material are inlongitudinal groove in the top of the floor bar 32.V

Owing to its adaptability this arrangement makes it possible to support long vessels without straining them.

What I claim isz- 1. `Apparatus for use infermenting and storing liquids, comprising a metal Vessel,` means for electrically insulating the said vessel from earth, a casing forming a closed jacket space surround.- ing said vessel and adapted to contain a gaseous tempering mediurmand means for bringing said medium to a'desired temperature.

` 2. Apparatusior use in ermenting and storingV liquids, comprising a vessel having all parts in contact with the liquid of a single metal, means electrically insulating said vessel from earth, a casing forming a closed jacket space surrounding said vessel adapted to contain a gaseous medium and means forV bringing said medium, to a desired temperature.

3. Apparatus for use in liermenting and storing liquids comprising an outer casing, a vessel constructedof a single metal supported by electrical insulators Vfrom the top of said casing so as to leave a jacket space between them, means for feeding a gaseous temperingmediurn throughsaid jacket space, means for bringing said medium to a desired temperature, and electrical insulating supports supporting the bottom of said vessel.

4. Apparatus for use in fermenting and storing liquids comprising an outercasing, a vessel lating supportsadaptable'to uneven floor levels supporting the bottom of said vessel.

5. Apparatus for use in'fermenting and storing liquids, comprising a vessel having all parts in contact with the liquid of a single metal, means electrically insulating said vessel from earth, and a casingforming a closed jacket space for receiving a tempering medium surrounding said vessel.

RUDOLPH HORCH. 

